Challenges in the evaluation of aortic stenosis: A guide to multimodal imaging.

Severe Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterised by a late peaking crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur and a diminished/absent second heart sound. Echocardiographic assessment of AS severity, based on transvalvular velocities / pressure gradients and calculated aortic valve area (AVA), confirms the diagnosis and allows timely intervention. Nevertheless, diagnostic uncertainty exists in cases of discordant measurements, confounders, and symptoms-measurement discrepancies. This guide outlines an approach to the use of multimodal imaging in the diagnosis and staging of AS.

Safer Pediatric Sedations: Simulation Checklists to Improve Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills in Emergency Medicine Residents.

Background Pediatric sedation is a low-frequency, high-stakes procedure. This study aimed to train emergency medicine (EM) residents in pediatric procedural sedation through a sedation checklist, enhancing patient safety. Methods EM residents completed a pre-test and a survey on their knowledge and experiences with sedation protocols. Residents were subdivided into four groups: two control groups underwent a pediatric sedation simulation without the aid of a procedural checklist, while two intervention groups were given the procedural checklist to guide their management of the procedure. Following the simulations, a simulation faculty member reviewed sedation management and safety with residents for all groups and answered questions. An improvement analysis was performed via a post-intervention examination among all residents. Results Residents in the intervention group demonstrated an improvement in obtaining more critical actions during the simulation (intervention group critical actions 14, 13 vs non-intervention critical actions 10, 12) and confidence with the procedure (via a Likert scale survey across multiple arenas of pediatric sedation), with only moderately increased scores on the post-test examination (pre-simulation score of 6.28±2.14; post-simulation score of 6.75±1.88). Conclusion The data suggest that a checklist, combined with dedicated training through simulation, improves knowledge, confidence, and skill with regard to pediatric sedations. Further study is required to examine the longitudinal impact of our program on resident performance and patient outcomes.

Blockade of endothelin receptors mitigates SARS-CoV-2-induced osteoarthritis.

Joint pain and osteoarthritis can occur as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sequelae after infection. However, little is known about the damage to articular cartilage. Here we illustrate knee joint damage after wild-type, Delta and Omicron variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in vivo. Rapid joint injury with cystic lesions at the osteochondral junction was observed in two patients with post-COVID osteoarthritis and recapitulated in a golden Syrian hamster model. SARS-CoV-2-activated endothelin-1 signalling increased vascular permeability and caused viral spike proteins leakage into the subchondral bone. Osteoclast activation, chondrocyte dropout and cyst formation were confirmed histologically. The US Food and Drug Administration-approved endothelin receptor antagonist, macitentan, mitigated cystic lesions and preserved chondrocyte number in the acute phase of viral infection in hamsters. Delayed macitentan treatment at post-acute infection phase alleviated chondrocyte senescence and restored subchondral bone loss. It is worth noting that it could also attenuate viral spike-induced joint pain. Our work suggests endothelin receptor blockade as a novel therapeutic strategy for post-COVID arthritis.

Longitudinal Outcomes Following Mitral Valve Repair for Infective Endocarditis.

Mitral valve repair is the ideal approach in managing mitral valve infective endocarditis for patients requiring surgery. However, viable repair is influenced by the extent of valve destruction and there can be technical challenges in reconstruction following debridement. Overall, data describing long-term outcomes following mitral repair of infective endocarditis are scarce. We, therefore, assessed the late outcomes of 101 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve repair for IE at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute from 2001 to 2021. The 5- and 10-year survival rate was 80.8 ± 4.7% and 61.2 ± 9.2%, respectively. Among these 101 patients, 7 ultimately required mitral valve reoperation at a median of 5 years after their initial operation. These patients were of a mean age of 35.9 ± 7.3 years (range 22-44 years) at the time of their initial operation. The 5- and 10-year freedom from mitral valve reoperation was 93.6 ± 3.4% and 87.7 ± 5.2%, respectively. Overall, mitral valve repair can be an effective method for treating infective endocarditis with a favourable freedom from reoperation and mortality over the long term.

Comparison of the Cost-Effectiveness and Safety between Staged Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty and Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Study between 2001 and 2022.

A substantial proportion of Hong Kong's aging population suffers from osteoarthritis in both knees. Bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) is a surgical option for addressing this condition and can be performed via two approaches: simultaneous BTKA (SimBTKA) and staged BTKA (StaBTKA). We compared the cost-effectiveness and safety of these two methods in our institution. We retrospectively reviewed 2,372 patients (SimBTKA, 772; StaBTKA, 1,600; females, 1,780; males, 592; mean age at SimBTKA, 70.4 ± 7.99 years; mean age at StaBTKA, 66.4 ± 7.50 years; p < 0.001) who underwent BTKA in our institution from 2001 to 2022. Patients were categorized according to the surgical approach. Patients undergoing BTKA in our institution were included. Particularly for SimBTKA, patients were assessed by anesthetists to be medically fit before undergoing the procedure according to their age, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, and osteoarthritis severity. The primary outcome was the length of stay (LOS) after surgery. The secondary outcomes were the 30-day unintended readmission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death. SimBTKA had a shorter mean total LOS (acute hospital + rehabilitation center; SimBTKA, 13.09 days; StaBTKA, 18.12 days; p < 0.001) and mean LOS in acute hospital (SimBTKA, 7.70 days; StaBTKA, 10.42 days; p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found in the mean LOS in rehabilitation centers (SimBTKA, 5.47 days; StaBTKA, 6.32 days; p > 0.05) between the two approaches. The 30-day unintended readmission rate was lower in SimBTKA (SimBTKA, 2.07%; StaBTKA, 3.30%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.60; p > 0.05) but statistically insignificant. SimBTKA was less costly than StaBTKA by US$ 8,422.22 per patient. No significant differences in ICU admission and death rates were found (p > 0.05) between the two groups. SimBTKA had a shorter LOS and lower cost than StaBTKA and comparable complication rates. Therefore, SimBTKA should be indicated in medically stable patients.

Promising short-term outcomes of free-hand burring technique to implant second-generation metaphyseal cone in Asian knees - a case series.

BACKGROUND: The second-generation metaphyseal cone was useful in managing bone defects in revision knee arthroplasty. However, due to the anatomical constraints in Asian osteometry, the authors utilized a novel free-hand burring technique instead of cannulated reaming for bone preparation. We reported the short-term outcomes of our surgical techniques specific to Asian osteometry. METHODS: We conducted a case series by consecutively recruiting 13 female and 12 male patients (involving 25 knees), with a mean age of 71 years (range, 54-88 years). The patients underwent revision total knee arthroplasty during the period from April 2017 to June 2022. Twenty-three tibial cones and 4 femoral cones using free-hand burring technique were implanted. The mean follow-up duration was 51 months (range 18-80 months). Due to the relatively small bone size and meta-diaphyseal center mismatch in the Asian knees, the free-hand burring technique instead of the cannulated reaming technique was adopted in preparing for cone implantation. The clinical outcomes were knee ranges of motion, the Knee Society Knee scores (KSS), end-of-stem pain, infection, and the need for revision surgery. The radiological outcomes included osteointegration, fracture, and loosening. RESULTS: Mean knee range of motion improved from 83 degrees (range 0°-120°) preoperatively to 106 degrees (range 60°-125°) postoperatively (P < 0.001). Mean KSS improved significantly from 29 (range 0-70) to 69 (range 5-100) (P < 0.001). All cones were osteointegrated. One case had transient end-of-stem pain, two developed intraoperative minor femoral fractures and one suffered from recurrent infection that did not require cone revision. Cone revision-free survivorship was 100%. There was no aseptic loosening. CONCLUSIONS: The second-generation cone implanted with free-hand burring bone preparation yielded promising short-term outcomes in Asian knees.

Preoperative weight loss interventions before total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The high co-prevalence of obesity and end-stage osteoarthritis requiring arthroplasty, with the former being a risk factor for complications during arthroplasty, has led to increasing interest in employing preoperative weight loss interventions such as bariatric surgery and diet modification. However, the current evidence is conflicting, and this study aimed to investigate the effect of weight loss intervention before arthroplasty in prospective randomized controlled trials. METHODS: Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched for prospective randomized controlled trials that compared weight loss interventions with usual care from inception to October 2023 by following the PRISMA guidelines. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and GRADE framework were used to assess the quality of the studies. Meta-analyses were performed when sufficient data were available from 2 or more studies. RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials involving 198 patients were identified. Two studies employed diet modification, and one study utilized bariatric surgery. All three studies reported significant reductions in body weight and body mass index (BMI), and intervention groups had fewer postoperative complications. There was no difference in the length of stay between the intervention group and the control group. Variable patient-reported outcome measures were used by different research groups. CONCLUSION: Weight loss intervention can achieve significant reductions in body weight and body mass index before arthroplasty, with fewer postoperative complications reported. Further studies with different populations could confirm the effect of these interventions among populations with different obesity characteristics.

Cancer-Causing Effects of Orthopaedic Metal Implants in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Metal implants have been preferentially used in THA due to its biocompatibility, mechanical stability and durability. Yet concerns have emerged regarding their potential to release metallic ions, leading to long-term adverse effects, including carcinogenicity. This study aimed to investigate the risk of cancer development in patients with orthopaedic metal implants in total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: Patients with THA conducted at a local tertiary implant centre from 2001-2008 were linked to the local cancer registry and followed up to the end of 2023. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for cancer incidence and its confidence interval by Poisson distribution were calculated. Survival analysis was depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to assess the differences across groups. RESULTS: The study cohort included 388 patients and 53 cancers diagnosed during follow-up, at least 5 years post THA. All-site cancer risks were increased in patients with THA (SIR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.48-2.46), validated with chi-square analysis (chi-square = 15.2551, N = 100,388, p < 0.01). A statistically significant increase in multiple site-specific cancers including haematological cancers were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with THA were found to have an increased risk for cancer compared to the general population during a mean follow-up of 16 years.

Reconsidering "Critical" Bone Loss in Shoulder Instability: 17-Year Follow-Up Study following Arthroscopic Bankart Repair.

Background: Glenoid bone loss is a risk factor leading to the failure of arthroscopic Bankart repair. While 20-25% glenoid bone loss has long been considered the level to necessitate bony augmentation, recent studies indicate that 13.5% has a "subcritical" glenoid bone loss level, which is associated with decreased short- and medium-term functional scores. Few researchers worked on the long-term effect of "subcritical" or even less severe degrees of glenoid bone loss on redislocation rates and functional outcomes after arthroscopic Bankart repair. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of subcritical or less severe glenoid bone loss on redislocation rates and function after arthroscopic Bankart repair. Methods: A patient cohort who had undergone computed tomography (CT) of glenoid bone loss and arthroscopic Bankart repair over 15 years ago was reviewed. Western Ontario Shoulder Instability (WOSI) score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score, redislocation after operation, mechanism of recurrence, and revision details were reviewed. Results: Seventy-five patients were reassessed 17.6 ± 1.9 years following initial surgery. The age at enrolment was 26.8 ± 8.3 years. Twenty-two (29%) patients of the 75 patients had a redislocation on long-term follow-up, though this was not related to glenoid bone loss severity. The impaired functional score was found in patients with initial glenoid bone loss of 7% or more on long-term follow-up: WOSI (physical symptoms): 0.98 ± 2.00 vs 2.25 ± 4.01, p=0.04 and WOSI (total): 0.79 ± 1.43 vs 1.88 ± 3.56, p=0.04. Conclusions: At a mean of 17.5 years following arthroscopic Bankart repair, redislocation occurs in over a quarter of 75 patients, and they are not related to initial glenoid bone loss severity. Impaired functional outcome is apparent in patients with initial glenoid bone loss of >7%, though this impairment does not seem sufficiently severe to warrant an alternative treatment approach.

Infective Endocarditis: The role of PET imaging in diagnosis and management.

Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) has recently emerged as an increasingly used alternative and supplementary imaging modality for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging for IE is given a Class I recommendation (level of evidence B) and is therefore recommended in cases of possible prosthetic valve IE to both detect valvular lesions, as well as confirm the diagnosis of IE. They have also given a class I recommendation (level of evidence B) for brain and whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT and/or MRI imaging to detect peripheral lesions for patients with either native or prosthetic valve IE. Molecular imaging is playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with IE. The important role of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging has been acknowledged by recent guideline updates. These advanced imaging tests are not supplanting the role of echocardiography in the diagnostic pathway for IE. Rather, they are additional tools that are available where the diagnosis is complicated, difficult, or uncertain.

Life-Threatening Hematuria as Initial Presentation of a Complicated Transplant Renal Artery Pseudoaneurysm.

In this case report, we describe the clinical course of a complicated transplant renal artery (TRA) pseudoaneurysm, clinically featured by gross and massive hematuria one month after a kidney transplant was performed on a 50 year-old male patient. TRA pseudoaneurysm is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that may result in bleeding, infection, graft dysfunction/loss, lower limb ischemia/loss, hemorrhagic shock, and death. TRA pseudoaneurysm treatment remains challenging as it needs to be tailored to the patient characteristics including hemodynamic stability, graft function, anatomy, presentation, and pseudoaneurysm features. This publication discusses the clinical scenario of massive gross hematuria that derived from a retroperitoneal hematoma which originated from an actively bleeding TRA pseudoaneurysm. This case highlights the combined approach of endovascular stent placement and subsequent transplant nephrectomy as a last resort in the management of intractable bleeding from a complicated TRA pseudoaneurysm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published case report of an actively bleeding TRA anastomotic pseudoaneurysm that caused a massive retroperitoneal bleed that in turn evacuated via the bladder after disrupting the ureter-to-bladder anastomosis. A temporizing hemostatic arterial stent placed percutaneously allowed for a safer and controlled emergency transplant nephrectomy.

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Arrhythmic Mitral Valve Prolapse in Patients With Unexplained Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is associated with otherwise unexplained cardiac arrest (UCA). However, reports are hindered by the absence of a systematic ascertainment of alternative diagnoses. OBJECTIVES: This study reports the prevalence and characteristics of MVP in a large cohort of patients with UCA. METHODS: Patients were enrolled following an UCA, defined as cardiac arrest with no coronary artery disease, preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, and no apparent explanation on electrocardiogram. A comprehensive evaluation was performed, and patients were diagnosed with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) if no cause was found. Echocardiography reports were reviewed for MVP. Patients with MVP were divided into 2 groups: those with IVF (AMVP) and those with an alternative diagnosis (nonarrhythmic MVP). Patient characteristics were then compared. The long-term outcomes of AMVP were reported. RESULTS: Among 571 with an initially UCA, 34 patients had MVP (6%). The prevalence of definite MVP was significantly higher in patients with IVF than those with an alternative diagnosis (24 of 366 [6.6%] vs 5 of 205 [2.4%]; P = 0.03). Bileaflet prolapse was significantly associated with AMVP (18 of 23 [78%] vs 1 of 8 [12.5%]; P = 0.001; OR: 25.2). The proportion of patients with AMVP who received appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies over a median follow-up of 42 months was 21.1% (4 of 19). CONCLUSIONS: MVP is associated with otherwise UCA (IVF), with a prevalence of 6.6%. Bileaflet prolapse appears to be a feature of AMVP, although future studies need to ascertain its independent association. A significant proportion of patients with AMVP received appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies during follow-up.

A randomized trial of continuous glucose monitoring to improve post-transplant glycemic control.

INTRODUCTION: This study examines whether the use of inpatient Continuous Glucose Monitors provides improved glycemic control over finger-stick glucose monitoring post-transplant. METHODS: This is a single-site, prospective randomized controlled trial of 40 patients receiving conventional finger-stick glucose monitoring or continuous monitoring using the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3 during the first 5 days post-transplant. Included patients were adult renal transplant recipients with a diagnosis of diabetes. Assessed endpoints included post-transplant daily median glucose level, hyperglycemic (≥180 mg/dL) and hypoglycemic (≤80 mg/dL) episodes, number of post-transplant bacterial infections and length of stay. RESULTS: Groups were well matched in demographic variables. Median daily glucose was significantly lower in the intervention group. There were also significantly less episodes of hyperglycemia on postoperative days 2, 3, 4, and 5. There were no differences in the incidences of hypoglycemia, postoperative bacterial infections, or length of stay. CONCLUSION: In this randomized study, the use of a continuous glucose monitor to guide post-transplant glucose management significantly lowered the incidence of hyperglycemic episodes and median glucose levels through the first 5 days post-transplant without increasing the number of hypoglycemic episodes. The use of these devices can be considered in the immediate post-renal transplant setting.

Assessments of early patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis features after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Persistent anterior knee pain and subsequent patellofemoral joint (PFJ) osteoarthritis (OA) are common symptoms after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Quadriceps weakness and atrophy is also common after ACLR. This can be contributed by arthrogenic muscle inhibition and disuse, caused by joint swelling, pain, and inflammation after surgery. With quadriceps atrophy and weakness are associated with PFJ pain, this can cause further disuse exacerbating muscle atrophy. Herein, this study aims to identify early changes in musculoskeletal, functional and quality of health parameters for knee OA after 5 years of ACLR. METHODS: Patients treated with arthroscopically assisted single-bundle ACLR using hamstrings graft for more than 5 years were identified and recruited from our clinic registry. Those with persistent anterior knee pain were invited back for our follow-up study. For all participants, basic clinical demography and standard knee X-ray were taken. Likewise, clinical history, symptomatology, and physical examination were performed to confirm isolated PFJ pain. Outcome measures including leg quadriceps quality using ultrasound, functional performance using pressure mat and pain using self-reported questionnaires (KOOS, Kujala and IKDC) were assessed. Interobserver reproducibility was assessed by two reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients with unilateral injury who had undergone ACLR 5-years ago with persistent anterior knee pain participated in this present study. Toward the muscle quality, thinner vastus medialis and more stiffness in vastus lateralis were found in post-ACLR knees (p < 0.05). Functionally, patients with more anterior knee pain tended to shift more of their body weight towards the non-injured limb with increasing knee flexion. In accordance, rectus femoris muscle stiffness in the ACLR knee was significantly correlated with pain (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, it was found that patients having higher degree of anterior knee pain were associated with higher vastus medialis muscle stiffness and thinner vastus lateralis muscle thickness. Similarly, patients with more anterior knee pain tended to shift more of their body weight towards the non-injured limb leading to an abnormal PFJ loading. Taken together, this current study helped to indicate that persistent quadriceps muscle weakness is potential contributing factor to the early development of PFJ pain.

Single use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) system in the management of knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Wound complication, skin blister formation in particular, causes devastating consequences after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) tries to improve wound management leading to decrease length of hospital stay and better clinical outcomes. Low body mass index (BMI) could play a part in wound recovery management although lacking evidence. This study compared length of hospital stay and clinical outcomes between NPWT and Conventional groups, and factors affected and how BMI affected. METHODS: This was a retrospective clinical record review of 255 (160 NPWT and 95 Conventional) patients between 2018 and 2022. Patient demographics including body mass index (BMI), surgical details (unilateral or bilateral), length of hospital stay, clinical outcomes including skin blisters occurrence, and major wound complications were investigated. RESULTS: Mean age of patients at surgery was 69.95 (66.3% were female). Patients treated with NPWT stayed significantly longer in the hospital after joint replacement (5.18 days vs. 4.55 days; p = 0.01). Significantly fewer patients treated with NPWT found to have blisters (No blisters: 95.0% vs. 87.4%; p = 0.05). In patients with BMI < 30, percentage of patients requiring dressing change was significantly lower when treated with NPWT than conventional (0.8% vs. 33.3%). CONCLUSION: Percentage of blisters occurrence in patients who underwent joint replacement surgery is significantly lower using NPWT. Patients using NPWT stayed significantly longer in the hospital after surgery because significant proportion received bilateral surgery. NPWT patients with BMI < 30 were significantly less likely to change wound dressing.

Long-term survivorship and results in lower limb arthroplasty: a registry-based comparison study.

INTRODUCTION: Popularity of joint replacement surgery due to ever aging population surges the demand for a proper national joint registry. Our Chinese University of Hong Kong - Prince of Wales Hospital (CUHK-PWH) joint registry has passed the 30th year. The aims of this study are 1) summarize our territory-wide joint registry which has passed the 30th year since establishment and 2) compare our statistics with other major joint registries. METHODS: Part 1 was to review the CUHK-PWH registry. Demographic characteristics of our patients who underwent knee and hip replacements had been summarized. Part 2 was a series of comparisons with registries from Sweden, UK, Australia and New Zealand. RESULTS: CUHK-PWH registry captured 2889 primary total knee replacements (TKR) (110 (3.81%) revision) and 879 primary total hip replacements (THR) (107 (12.17%) revision). Median Surgery time of TKR was shorter than THR. Clinical outcome scores were much improved after surgery in both. Uncemented of hybrid in TKR were most popular in Australia (33.4%) and 40% in Sweden and UK. More than half of TKR and THR patients showed the highest percentage with ASA grade 2. New Zealand reflected the best cumulative percentage survival 20 years after surgery of 92.2%, 76.0%, 84.2% survivorship 20 years after TKR, unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) and Hip. CONCLUSION: A worldwide accepted patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) is recommended to develop to make comparisons among registries and studies feasible. Completeness of registry data is important and useful to improve surgical performance through data comparisons from different regions. Funding from government on sustaining registries is reflected. Registries from Asian countries have yet to be grown and reported.

Surgical accuracy and clinical outcomes of image-free robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The development of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for knee osteoarthritis (OA) has a good reputation for its effectiveness in reducing joint pain and improving range of motion. We aimed to review our early results using the image-free robotic-assisted technology in knee arthroplasty. METHODS: A total of 71 patients suffering from end-stage OA knee receiving TKA operated by robotic-assisted surgery between the years 2018 and mid-2021 were recruited. Clinical and radiological outcomes were compared with age and sex-matched control group (conventional TKA). RESULTS: The radiological outcome showed significantly more postoperative lower limb alignment outliers in conventional side than robotic-assisted sides. Postoperative knee scores were similar among both groups. Robotic-assisted TKA required a longer implantation time but a shorter hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted TKA achieved a lower rate of mechanical axis Outlier in the coronal and sagittal plane with a shorter hospital stay. Yet both methods achieve a similar functional outcome.